Acetylene-gas-generating apparatus.



No. 654,350. V Patented 1u| 24.'19oo.'

c. w. METCALF.

(Application filed. Jilly 7, 1899;)

(No Modei.)

WITNESSES {N VE N 70f? TNE NORRIS mans 06., m'ro-u'ma. WASHINGTON. 0.1:

" ST S- PATENT Ola-Fro.

Cl-IABLES VESLEY METOALF, OF EL PASO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONEP'HALF TO JOHN IRVING MOKENNA, OF SAME PLACE.

ACETYLENE-GAS-GENERATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,350, dated July 24, 1900.. Application filed my 7,1899. sealant. 723,069. (No model.)

My invention relates to improvements in l apparatus for generating acetylene, and 00111 10 prises the novel features hereinafter described and claimed. I

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification,

sectional elevation of my device.

My device uses as a part thereof the ordinary gasometer consisting of a tank A, which is constructed to hold water, and a rising-andfalling bell A, placed within said tank and forming the storage-chamber for the gas. This gasometer'varies in some minordetails from the ordinary gasometer as,for instance, the side walls of the gasometer-bell are continued above the top thereof, as shown at a,

2 5 thus forming an upwardly-extending flange which produces a receptacle adapted to receive sand or other similar material by which the bell may be weighted, so asto obtain'the desired pressure of gas. I The tank A is provided with upwardly-extending guide-arms B, which serve to retain. the bell in place as it rises, and the tank is also supported upon legs A at such a distance as to permit the insertion of the gener- 5 atorbeneath the same. The generator, which, is shown in section beneath the gasometer, is composed of several parts, which are so se-' cured together as to make them air-tight,

The outer tank D, which is preferably made square in plan, has another when in use.

tank F, placed within the same and prefer.- ably made'round in plan.

is preferably made of galvanized iron, while the inner tank F is made of cast-iron. These 5 two parts have a common cover E, which is provided with a depending apron or flange E, which is circular in plan and fits closely about the outside of the tank F, the lower edge of said flange extending downwardinto the water, which is placed between the two tanks F and D, thereby forming a water seal in any suitable manner.

off when desired.

The outer tank D to prevent the escape of gas. As an additional precaution to prevent the escape of gas and also to prevent the vapors of water from entering the chamber which contains the carbid, a packing-ringf is provided, which lies beneath the co'v'erE and engages the upper edge of the tank F.- V

The cover E is secured to theouter tank D The method ofse- 6o curing the same herein shown consists of hasps or loops 6, which are secured to the cover E and are adapted to pass over staples 7 or hooks d, secured to the outer tank D. in which the figure of drawing represents a Within the inner tank F is placed a bucket G, whichclosely fits the inside thereof and within which is placed the carbid. This in- .ner or lining bucket is preferably made of galvanizediron and is provided with handles g, by means of which the refuse may be read -ily removed and anew bucket containing a .fresh chargeof carbid immediately inserted.

The cover- E is provided with two openings,

extend upwardly through the bottomof the gasometer, the pipe N extending to above the level of water in the tank A. The pipe H is provided inside of the generator with a rose h or any suitable form of sprinkler-head.

For convenience in attaching and detaching the generatorto and from the pipes H and N unions 0 and O are provided.

, These pipes are also provided with valves 72. and N, by which the flow of water and gas may be out The water-supplypipe H extends upwardly go into. the'water-space of the tank A and at its upper end ispr'ovide d with a valve-casing I,

said casing being provided with seats for two valves, the outer one lying at the upper end of the casing and the other lying lower down, 5 both valves controlling the same passage.

The upper valve-seat is controlledby means of a conical valve J which fits within the upper end of the passa ein "the casing and is mounted upon a pivoted lever J, which is we provided with a counterweight J adapted to normally hold this valve closed. The other valve-seat is designed for the reception of a slideorgate valveK. This valve is connected with a lever K, which is pivoted upon an arm of the casing I and extends outwardly to a' point corresponding horizontally with the end of the lever J. The lever K is, however, at a lower elevation than the lever J. these levers are operated upon in succession by means of a flanged ring L, which is secured to the inner surface of the gasometerbell near its bottom. This ring projects inwardly a sufficient distance to engage the ends of the levers J and K and first engages the leverJ, so asto open the valve J and permit the entrance of water to the pipe H and thus to the generator and the carbid therein. This will cause the generation of gas sufficientto elevate the belland thus to close the valve J and cutoff the flow of water. In case, however, that the carbid is exhausted, there willnot be gen erationof gas sufficient to raise the bell. In this case the bell will continue to sink until it engages the lever K and will then close the gate-valve K. It is to be understood that the gate-valve K remains normally open, the same being provided with a spring or other suitable mechanism which will secure this result. By this means the flowof water to the generator is eventually cut ofi whether generation of gas is caused thereby or not.

In orderto permit the pipe H to be cleared of water after the valve J has been closed, a pipe M is connected therewith and extends upwardly within the gasometer to a point above the water-level, thus permitting the gas to flow downward into the pipe to displace the water.

'Within the tank A is provided a series of ledges C, so placed as to receive the lower edge of the bell A when the carbid has been exhausted and the bell sinks below its ordinary lowestposition. The gas is drawn from the gasometer through a service-pipe R, which discharges into the lower portion of a gas-receiving tank Q, said tank being formed outside of the tankA and'secured thereto in such manner as to utilize the wall of the tank A as the inner wall of the tank Q. The gas containedwithin this tank is cooled by contact with the cool inner wall which lies between said tank-a'nd the tank A. The gas is drawn o'fi from this tank by means of a servicepipe R", which connects with the upper end thereof.

To the lower part of the tank Q is secured a valve S, by means of which water may be drawn :off, it any should collect in the tank. The pipe N, which connects the generator with the gasometer and through which the gas flows, has an overflow-pipe P connected therewith and leading to any convenient point for the discharge of surplus gas. In this-pipe is placed a valve P, which is weighted, :s'o ,as'to open by the pressure of gas when thesamepexceeds the desired point.

The gasometer-tank A is provided with a Both of.

funnel or lip a, by means of which water may be introduced therein. The :tank D, forming the outer tank of the generator, is also provided with a similar lip or funnel d.

The gasometer-tank may be provided with a water-supply connection consisting of a .pipe T, which enters the bottom of the tank and has its inner end T bent to one side, so as to direct the issuing water in a tangential direction, thus causing a whirling motion to be given to the water, which will stir up any sediment deposited in the tank and facilitate its being drawn off. This pipe may be connected with a public water-Suppl y and is provided with a valveT.

The water and any sediment in the tank may be drawn off through a pipe U, which enters the bottom of the tank near'its center, so as to catch the sediment which in a whirl-. ing body of water is always drawn to the center. A valve U controls the flow of water to the waste-pipe U A water-overflow pipe is also provided consisting of a vertical pipe'V, which passes through the bottomof the tank and has an extension consisting of a loop V, the end of the pipe extending to the desired water-level and being open. As soon-as the water rises above the upper end of this pipe it will flow out through it. The loop 'V forms a seal which prevents gas from escaping.

Having thus fully described ray-invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An acetylene-generatingapparatus comprising a gasometer having arising-andsfalh ing bell, .a generating-chamber, a water-feed pipe extending from the tank of the ggasometer to the generator and open at its upper end within the tank, two independently-pivoted valves for said pipe within'the gasometertank and arranged in series or tandem, the

upper valve for the open end of the pipe be.

ing normally closed and the lower valve normally open, the said gasometer-bell having an internal projecting portion adapted when the gasometer descends to engage the first valve to open it and by a continued descent to engage and move the other valve to close it, substantially as described.

2. A water-supply device for acetylene-gen erators comprising a casing'having two valveseats therein, one upon the end of the casing and the other inward therefrom and adapted to receive a gate-valve, two levers pivoted upon said casing, the outermost carrying .a lift-valve which is normally closed, a gatevalve connected to the other lever and normally open, and operating means for said valves engaging first the lever of the outermost or lift valve to open it and then upon a ing pipe leading from the generating-chamber to the gasometer, a feed-water pipe leading from the water-space of the gasometer-tank to the generating-chamber, the said pipe being provided at its upper open end with a valve-seat, a pivoted lever having a valve thereon adapted to engage the said valve-seat, the said valve being normally closed, a second valve for said pipe normally open and located below the first valve, means for successively operating the valves, and a pipe connected with said feed-pipe at a point below the said valves and extending upward within the gasometer above the water-level in the tank, substantially as described.

4. A water-supplying device for acetylenegenerators, comprising a valve-casing having a valve-seat upon its outer end and a slide or gate valve seatinward from said end,a pivoted lever having a valve thereon adapted to engage the outer valve-seat, a slide or gate valve in the other valve-seat, a lever engaging said gate-valve, and a gasometer-bell having an internal flange adapted in its descent to engage said levers in succession to first open the outer valve and then to close the inner valve, substantially as described.

5. A 'water-su pplyin g device for acetylenegenerators, comprising a tank adapted to contain water, a generator, a feed-water pipe leading from said tank to the generator, a valvecasing on the end of said pipe within the tank, a valve-seat on the outer end of said casing, a

pivoted lever havinga valve thereon adapted to engage said seat, the said valve being normally closed, a slide or gate valve seat arranged in said casing, a slide or gate valve for said seat and normally open, a pivoted lever connected with said slide or gate valve, and a rising-and-falling gasometer-bell adapted in its descent to operate the lever of the first valve to open said valve and by a continued descent to operate the lever of the other valve toclose said valve, substantially as described.

6. An acetylene-generating apparatus,comprising a generator, a gasometer supported above the generator and having a rising-andfalling bell, a water-supply pipe for the tank of the gasometer entering near the bottom thereof, a water-feed pipe connecting the gasometer-tank with the generator and extending upward Within the gasometer-tank above the water-inlet thereof, a valve for controlling the admission of water to said pipe, means for automatically operating said valve, a gascon'veying pipe leading from the generator to the gasometer, the said pipe being provided with an overflow-pipe having a relief-valve, and cut-off valves in the Water-feed and gasconveying pipes between the generator and the gasometer, substantially as described.

CHARLES WESLEY METOALF.

Witnesses: LUOIAN NIOHOLL, CHARLES DE GROFF. 

